'Worst Day' Lee Kang-in, '100% Dribble Success + Rating 6.7' — Struggled Hard but Could Not Prevent Atlético's 0-3 Rout

*This content was translated by AI.

It was the worst day since Lee Kang-in joined Atlético. The 25-year-old showed flashes early in the match, including hitting the post, but was substituted off early amid his team's lifeless and decisive defeat.

On the 5th at 11:15 p.m. (Korean time), Lee Kang-in's club Atlético suffered a 0-3 away loss to Athletic Bilbao in Round 4 of the 2026–2027 Spanish La Liga, held at Estadio de San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.

As a result, Atlético recorded its first defeat after four opening matches (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), ending its unbeaten run. Meanwhile, Bilbao bounced back from two consecutive losses to win two straight games, boosting their momentum.

Football statistics specialist 'FootMob' awarded Lee Kang-in a rating of 6.7 for his 58 minutes on the pitch — a clear drop compared to his previous three matches. In the opening match against Málaga, he played 33 minutes and scored, earning a 7.9 rating. Even in the Villarreal match where he recorded no attacking contributions, he received a solid 7.3 rating.

In his previous match against Sevilla, where he provided his first assist while playing 72 minutes, he earned a 7.9 rating. However, on this day, amid his team's overall poor performance, he recorded the lowest rating since joining Atlético.

According to media reports, Lee Kang-in touched the ball 41 times and was involved in attacking buildup. He took two shots, including one that struck the post, delivered one key pass, completed 78% of his passes (18/23), made four successful passes in the attacking zone, and completed one long pass.

Additionally, Lee Kang-in successfully completed all three of his dribble attempts (100%), made three touches inside the opponent's box, won four ground duels (50%), and committed one foul — yet he was unable to turn the tide.

Starting alongside Ademola Lookman up front, Lee Kang-in primarily operated between the right flank and the half-space area, delivering sharp performances in the early stages of the first half.

There were also missed opportunities. Just three minutes after kickoff, Lee Kang-in received a pass from Pablo Barrios on the right side of the goal and struck a right-footed ground shot that hit the left post. In the 23rd minute, he drew defenders away before creating a perfect shooting chance for Alex Baena. By the 40th minute, he had beaten defenders with a solo dribble from the right flank and connected with a left-footed shot.

However, immediately after the second half began, Atlético's defense collapsed, conceding consecutive goals to Nico Williams and Robert Navarro. With the score quickly slipping to 0-2, manager Diego Simeone made the decision in the 14th minute of the second half to bring on four players simultaneously, including Lee Kang-in. Lee was substituted off after 58 minutes, replaced by Julián Álvarez.

Even after Lee's departure, Atlético failed to threaten Bilbao's goal. Julián Álvarez's left-footed turning shot and Marcos Llorente's mid-range strike both targeted the net but fell short of beating goalkeeper Unai Simón. Instead, they conceded a third goal in the 45th minute of the second half, suffering a heavy defeat.

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*This content was translated by AI.